Who is permitted to sign a check for the dental office

In its broadest sense, this principle expresses the concept that the dental profession should actively seek allies throughout society on specific activities that will help improve access to care for all. B hereof is indicated. Decisions regarding the type of dental treatment provided, or referrals made or suggested, should be made on the same basis as they are made with other patients.

Emergency Service. Dentists shall be obliged to make reasonable arrangements for the emergency care of their patients of record. Dentists shall be obliged when consulted in an emergency by patients not of record to make reasonable arrangements for emergency care. If treatment is provided, the dentist, upon completion of treatment, is obliged to return the patient to his or her regular dentist unless the patient expressly reveals a different preference.

Justifiable Criticism. Dentists shall be obliged to report to the appropriate reviewing agency as determined by the local component or constituent society instances of gross or continual faulty treatment by other dentists. Patients should be informed of their present oral health status without disparaging comment about prior services.

Dentists issuing a public statement with respect to the profession shall have a reasonable basis to believe that the comments made are true. Meaning of "Justifiable.

Therefore, when informing a patient of the status of his or her oral health, the dentist should exercise care that the comments made are truthful, informed and justifiable. This should, if possible, involve consultation with the previous treating dentist s , in accordance with applicable law, to determine under what circumstances and conditions the treatment was performed. A difference of opinion as to preferred treatment should not be communicated to the patient in a manner which would unjustly imply mistreatment.

There will necessarily be cases where it will be difficult to determine whether the comments made are justifiable. Therefore, this section is phrased to address the discretion of dentists and advises against unknowing or unjustifiable disparaging statements against another dentist.

Yes, if the patient has consented to the release of the records. If there is any doubt about what the patient has consented for you to release, contact the patient or the new dentist for clarification. Yes, the patient can pick up copies of their dental records from your office or request that they be forwarded by registered mail or courier to their home.

The patient can indicate this in advance with their signed consent. Dentists are required by law to keep records. Patients are entitled to diagnostic quality duplicate radiographs on film, photographic paper or appropriate digital formats. Patients are also entitled to duplicate study models or equivalent diagnostic quality digital images of them.

Digital images can be provided on removable media or by secure e-mail with strong encryption. While many dentists will provide copies of dental records at no charge as a courtesy to their patients, a dentist can charge a fee consistent with the direct costs incurred in duplicating and releasing them. This may include mailing costs, charges from a dental laboratory or radiograph duplicating facility, and materials costs.

In most cases, a parent can request and obtain copies of the dental records for children who are under the age of 16 years. While a patient may request copies of the dental records for a spouse or a child 16 and over, the dentist will require the consent of these individuals to release their records. The release and transfer of dental records should be accomplished within one to two weeks of receipt of the request.

Whether this is possible may depend on the number and type of dental records requested and whether the services of an outside duplication facility for dental radiographs and study models are required. It is unacceptable to withhold the transfer of records because of an outstanding account balance.

College regulations must be followed, regardless of a financial dispute between a patient and a dentist. Patients are entitled to seek care with other dental health care providers and dentists must provide copies of the dental records as requested by the patients. In such cases, the original dental records should be sent directly from dentist to dentist by courier and, after consultation and treatment, the original dental records should be returned to the dentist who lent them.

During the course of a missing person or criminal investigation, the Ontario Provincial Police may legally require a dentist to surrender dental records to them by producing a search warrant issued by a judge or a justice of the peace.

Health information custodians may also disclose personal health information to police without a warrant in limited circumstances outlined in PHIPA. Dentists are legally required to keep dental records. In the case of a minor, these records must be kept for at least ten years after the day the patient turned The same retention period applies to appointment books and other office records such as equipment maintenance records, sterilization log and drug register.

These financial records must be retained for at least ten years from the date of the last entry in that record. In the case of a minor, these records must be kept for at least ten years from the date the patient turned 18 years of age.

An electronic copy of claim forms on a properly backed-up system is acceptable. Other material from insurance companies, such as predeterminations, explanations of benefits and cheque stubs, should be kept until final settlement of the account. Working models do not have to be retained for any specific period of time.

A decision to keep working models should be based on the complexity of the case and is left to the judgement of the individual practitioner. A drug register must record and account for all narcotics, controlled drugs, benzodiazepines and targeted substances that are kept on-site at the dental office.

Whenever drugs in these classes are used or dispensed, a record containing the name of the drug, number dispensed, name of the patient and date should be entered in the register. Each entry should be initialled or attributable to the person who made the entry. Keep the register in a secure area in the office, preferably with the drugs. Dentists are required to maintain patient confidentiality when disposing of dental records.